John Dee
From the longer Wikipedia page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dee (which has links to lists of his writings) and other articles on various websites (including Project Gutenberg) John Dee (13 July 1527–1608 or 1609) was a Welsh mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, occultist, navigator, imperialist and consultant to Queen Elizabeth I. He devoted much of his life to the study of alchemy, divination and Hermetic philosophy. Dee straddled the worlds of science and magic just as they were becoming distinguishable. One of the most learned men of his age, he had been invited to lecture on advanced algebra at the University of Paris while still in his early twenties. Dee was an ardent promoter of mathematics and a respected astronomer, as well as a leading expert in navigation, having trained many of those who would conduct England's voyages of discovery. Simultaneously with these efforts, Dee immersed himself in the worlds of magic, astrology and Hermetic philosophy, working with Edward Kelly. He devoted much time and effort in the last thirty years or so of his life to attempting to commune with angels in order to learn the universal language of creation and bring about the pre-apocalyptic unity of mankind. A student of the Renaissance Neo-Platonism of Marsilio Ficino, Dee did not draw distinctions between his mathematical research and his investigations into Hermetic magic, angel summoning and divination. Instead he considered all of his activities to constitute different facets of the same quest: the search for a transcendent understanding of the divine forms which underlie the visible world, which Dee called "pure verities". In his lifetime Dee amassed one of the largest libraries in England. His high status as a scholar also allowed him to play a role in Elizabethan politics. He served as an occasional adviser and tutor to Elizabeth I and nurtured relationships with her ministers Francis Walsingham and William Cecil. Dee also tutored and enjoyed patronage relationships with Sir Philip Sidney, his uncle Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, and Edward Dyer. He also enjoyed patronage from Sir Christopher Hatton. He contributed a preface to Henry Billingsley, sometime Lord Maryor of London's traslation of Euclid's Elements.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Billingsley. According to some involved in the creation of the Voynich Manuscript or at least the selling of it to Rudolph II (which. Given the research undertaken by the University of Arizona in 2009 which dates it to the early 15th century, the latter would be the more plausible option (if there is an actual connection). See also Edward Kelly, Book of Soyga and Enochian language. Related Wikis *The John Dee Wiki was at http://john-dee.wikia.com/wiki/John_Dee_Wiki *The Angelical Language wiki is http://angelical.wikia.com/wiki/The_Angelical_Language_Wiki (checked April 2019) *The other Voynich Wiki http://voynich.wikia.com/wiki/John_Dee John Dee societies *The John Dee Society website is http://www.johndee.org/ *John Dee of Mortlake Society http://johndeemortlakesoc.org/ *John Dee of Australia Society was at http://www.johndeesociety.com/# Checked January 2015. John Dee's objects Some of his items have ended up in the British Museum: the Museum's article on John Dee is here http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/pe_mla/d/dr_dees_magic.aspx. His mirror was at one point owned by Commander Richard James Morrison. Other websites *The Chetham's Library website page on Jon dee is http://www.chethams.org.uk/treasures/treasures_dee.html. *An alchemy website is Genius of Dr. Dee *The John Dee Publication Project website is http://www.john-dee.org/ Charlotte Fell Smith's biography is here http://www.johndee.org/charlotte/. Category:Biographies Category:16th century